Motor-action for self-playing musical instruments.



L. DOMAN. MOTOR ACTION FOR SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1906.

QWF QR 5, Patented July 8, 1913.

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MOTOR ACTION FOR SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1906.

Patented July 8, 1918.

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rflTTURNEY L. B. DOMAN.

MOTOR ACTION FOR SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1906 h s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HUT/1555555 tlhl'liE sriiias arena: onricn LEWIS B'. DOIVIAN, or ELBRIDGE, NEW YORK, assmnon TO AMPHION PIANO PLAYER com any, or ELBJRIDGE, NEW YORK, a conroaarion or new YORK.

MOTOR-ACTION FOR SELF-PLAYING- MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

. To all whom, it may concern.

Be it known that I, Lnwls B. DOMAN, of

Elbridge, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have'invcnted new and useful Improvements in Motor-Actions for Self-Playing Musical Instruments, of which the following, taken in Connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvelnrnts in self-playing musical instruments,

and refers more particularly to a pneumatic one extreme to another, or graded to any intermediate degree to regulate the tempo.

Another object is to interpose a porous wall or partition in the connection between the motor pneumatics and atmosphere, whereby atmospheric air is caused to sift slowly and softly through such wall or par 'tition, and thence into. the motor pneumatics to prevent their impulsive or sudden vibratory action, or rather tocause a steady collapse and inflation of said neumatics as they are alternately placed in communication with the exhaust device and atmosphere. i V I A further object is to control the action of the several valves and their primary pneumatics through the medium of a rotary valve which is preferably mounted upon and driven by the motor shaft. I 1 i A still further object is to interpose a governing pneumatic in the connection between the exhaust device and motor action to es tablish as nearly, as possible a uniform tcn'ipoduring the playing of a selection.

Another object is to provide manually controlled means whereby direct colnmunh cation between the exhaust device and'motor action is established irrespective of the governing pneumatic'and simultaneously with the connection of the driving mechanism with the rewinding roller so as to actuate Specification of Letters Patent.

i with Patented July 8, 1913.

Original applicationfiled March 19, 1905, Serial No. 249,250. Divided and this application filed September Serial No. 383,214-

the rewinding mechanism with an increased speed.

Other more specific objects and uses will bebrought out in the following description.

In the drawings-Figures 1 and 2 are sectional views taken respectively on line 1 -l, Fig. 2, and 2+2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, and Gare sectional views taken respectively on lines 44t, Fig. 1; 5 -5, Fi 4, and 6-6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an end view of the mechanism for transmitting motion from the motor driving shaft to the winding and rewinding rollers. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8, Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views taken respectively on lines 99, Fig. 1,-and 10 -40, Fi 5. Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the shifting device for the driving clutch and vent valve for the motor contro A perforated music-sheet.1 is reeled upon a suitable roller -2 which is inserted in suitable hearings in the up er end of a case A at the rear of a trac (er 3. The free end of the music sheet is drawn over the tracker and attached to a feeding roller -4 which is located in front of and in a plane beneath the tracker -3-.

The roller 2 from which the music sheet is unwound, and upon which it is again re-wound is removable to permit different music-rolls to be inserted, but the winding roller 4.- is permanently jour naled in the case and may be provided with any suitable means to which the advance end of the music-sheet may be detachably connected so as to automatically release on therewind.

As best seen in Fig 7, the roller l is provided with a gear 5- which meshes a pinlon -'6 on a shaft '7-.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft is a p sprocket-wheel --8- which is connected by i a chain -9 to a smaller sprocket-wheel 10- on the spindle of the rewind roller The shaft 7 is movable endwise sufficient to throw the pinion -6-- out of mesh with the gear -5 and is provided with a clutch section 11- which is secured to the shaft -7and is adapted to interlock with a similar clutch section on the face of the sprocket --il-, whereby when the pinion --6- is out of mesh with the gear -5- the shaft -7- is locked to and operates to re-' wind the music-sheet with considerablyis connected by a chain or belt 12 to asprocket-wheel 13- on a crank-shaft -14. This crank-shaft l4 is journaled at its ends in suitable bearings -15-15- and is provided with a series of, in this instance, four, crank-arms each being arranged-a quarter of a turn in advance of the other and each crank is connected by a 1ink.-16 to the movable side of a motor pneumatic l7-. It now appears that there are four motorneumatics, one for each crank-arm, said pneumatics being successively brought into action in a manner hereinafter described for transmitting motion to the crank-shaft 14=. I

Each motor-pneumatic is connected by a passage 18 to a valve-chamber -19-- having opposite ports -20 and -21'-. The port 20- connects the valve-chamber with an exhaust-chamber 22 and the port. 21 opens into a-chamber 23 having one or more porous side walls 24- surrounded I by atmosphere. Each valvechamber -19. contains a valve 25- which normally covers the port -20' and is operable by a primary pneumatic 26- to close the port -21 and'open communi-.'

cation between the exhaust-chamber -22- and valve-chamber 19-, and thence, through the passage .18- to the motorpneumatic -17-.' The exhaust-chamber 22- is common to all of the primarypneumatics --26 and their valves 25-, and therefore, is common to all of the motorneumatics 17. r a

The primaryneumatics and valves for controlling the motor-Pneumatics are all located in a single shelf or air-chest which is provided with a'series of channels -27, each leading to one of the primary pneumatics 26, and each channel is connected by a duct or conduit -28- to the fixed head 15 in which one end of the crankshaft is journaled, said valve-shelf being .also provided with an additional channel 30 which communicates with the exhaust-chamber 22- and is also connected by a conduit 31- to the head -15, s best seen in Fig. 1-.

As best seen in Figs. ticularly in Fig. 4, the conduits -28 extend upwardly into the head 15 and terminate in ports 32 which are arranged concentrically with the axisof revo' lution of the crank-shaft +14 and" are spaced substantially equidistant apart cir- 1, and 5, and par- 'cumferentially and open through one of the end faces of the head"'15',-which is also provided with *a substantially central port I I opening from the same side of the head -15- as the ports 32 and communicating with the exhaust conduit 31'.

A rotary valve 34 is secured to the crank-shaft 14 to cover the open ends of i the ports 32 and 3 and is provided with two substantially semi-circular grooves or channels 35 and 36 which are movable into registration with and are each of suflicient circumferential length to embrace two of the ports -32 simultaneously, the groove -35 being provided with lateral passages 37, which open to atmosphere. The groove -36- is provided with a radial branch passage -38- which opens into an annular recess -39 sur' rounding the shaft 14'- and communicates at all times with the central port -33 of the head 15-. The'port 33-, it will be remembered is connected to the exhaust conduit .31-, otherwise the adjacent end faces-of the head 29-" and rotary valve 34 fit closely with each other to prevent undue leakage of air. This rotaryvalve controls the operation of the primarypneumatics -26, which, together with their valves 25- control the operation of the motor-pneumatics -17.

The operation of these motor-pneumatics is as follows: Assuming that .the rotaryvalve -34- is in the posit-ion seen in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, in which position the groove 3 5is in registration with the two upper ports 32 and is, therefore, in communication with the second and fourth conduits 28, (numbered from left-to right, Fig. 4,) and also with the primary .pneumatics 26- which are in communication with said conduits -28 while the other groove 36 of the valve 34:-' is in communication with the two lower ports -32 which are connected to the first a'ndthi'rd conduits -28-, (numbering fromleft to right, Fig. 4,) and, therefore, said groove'-36- is'in communication with the primary-pneumatics which are connected to the two lower ports 32'. It is now clear that atmospheric air is free to enter the groove -35 through apertures -37 in the rotary valve 34. and that this atmospheric air enters through the corresponding tubes -28- to inflatetheir respective primary-pneumatics -26-', and thereby unseat the valves 25 from the ports 20 to establish direct commu-v nication between the vacuumchamber22- nect the operation,

ing pneumatic -50 and exhaust chamber 22 of the motor-pneumatic controlling mechanism. In the relative arrangement of the cranks of the shaft -14-, at least one 5 of the motor pneumatics l7- is expanded or inflated and its corresponding primary pneumatic -26 is therefore, de-

flated to allow. its valve 25 to close its port 20- so that when each primary pneumatic is opened to atmosphere through the ports 37 of the rotary valve 34 atmospheric air immediately enters such primary pneumatic 26, thereby inflating it and elevating its valve -25- to conexhaust-chamber 22- with the corresponding motor pneumatic 17- through the passage 18-, thus causing the collapse or deflation of the motor pneumatic 17 and consequent rotation of the 20 crank-shaft -14':- which is connected in 35 chamber 22 of the motor pneumatics and throwing the full force of the exhausting device into the motor pneumatics to inrease the speed of action on the rewindof t 1e music-sheet.

It will be observed that the rotary valve -3eL- operates to admit and to shut off atmospheric air to and from (the pneumatics 26, the admission of air causing the valve, as'25, to rise and the corresponding motor pneumatic 1-7 to be collapsed.

This rotary valve is so designed that each valve 25- is forced against its upper seat during approximately one-half of one revolution of the motor crank-shaft, and that immediately thereafter the air in the pneumatic -26 is exhausted, which, together with the atmospheric pressure on the valve causes the valve to open the port 21 and to close the port 20-, thereby cutting ofi communication between the exhaust chamber 22- and the pneumatic 26 and at the same time establishing communication between the chamber 23 and said pneumatic. It is now apparent that each motor- 0 valve operating pneumatic is alternately placed in communication; first, with the at- Y 'mosphere, and then with the exhaust, and that the usual bleed holes, which cause a loss of energy, are avoided, and that all of the operatmg air is available to elevate the valve, while on the other hand, after the atmospheric air is cut oil' by the parti-' tion between the passages -35 and 36 the whole area of the conduit 31 is available for the exhaust to collapse the diahragm.

lVhat I claim is: .t

1. In a pneumaticmotor action .for selfplaying instruments, an exhaust device, a tempo-governing pneumatic in direct connection with the exhaust device, a valve chest having an exhaust chamber-in direct communication with the tempo-governing pneumatic and also provided with a series of valve chambers and ports connecting them with the exhaust chamber, the valve chambers having atmosphere port-s, motor pneumatics communicating with their respective valve chambers, valves for said ports, primary actuating pneumatics for the valves, a separate valve case having a port in constant communication with the exhaust chamber and provided with additional ports connected to their respective primary pneumatics' and a rotary valve actuated by the motor pneumatics for successively connecting said additional ports to the exhaust port.

2. In a motor action for self-playing musical instruments an exhaust device, a valve chest having an exhaust chamber in communication with the exhaust device, said valve chest being provided with a series of valve chambers and having one set of ports connecting them to the exhaust chamber and another set of ports alinedtherewith and connnunicati'ng with the atmosphere, valves for said ports, pneumatic actuators for the valves, motor neumatics communicating with their respective valve chambers, a rotary shaft actuated by the motor pneumatics and means including a rotary valve actuated by the shaft for alternately placing the pneumatic actuators in communication with the exhaust chamber with the atmosphere.

3. In a pneumatic motor action for selfplaying musical instruments, an'air chamber having a porous wall exposed to the atmosphere and through which the atmosphere may slowly sift, a. motor pneumatic communicating with said ,chamher, and means for opening and closing such communication. V g

4. In a pneumatic action for self-playing musical instruments, a pneumatic adapted to be alternately placed in communication with an exhaust chamber and the atmosphere, a valve for controlling such communication and a porous partition between said pneumatic and the atmosphere through which the air may sift to inflate the pneumatic, H1

combination with an exhaust device, and means for controlling the action of the valve.

5. In a pneumatic action for self-playing musical instruments, a pneumatic motor action comprising a valve-chest inclosing a group of valves and their primary pneumatics, an exhaust-device communicating with the valve chest, an air chamber also communicating with the valve chest and having its sides porous and exposed to the atmosphere to allow air to sift therethrough into the valve chest, motor pneumatics communicating with said valve chest, and means actuated by the motor pneumatics for con-- trolling the operation of the primary pneumatics.

6. In a pneumatic motor action for sellplaying musical Instruments, an exhaust chamber and a valve chamber having an at mosphre port and an additional port eonneoted to the exhaust chamber, a valve for alternately opening and closing said ports, actuating means for the valve comprising a primary pneumatic forming a part of one side of the exhaust chamber, a port connected to the exhaust chamber around the primary pneumatic, an additional port connected to the primary pneumatic, a rotary valve having means for connecting the last named ports to each other and for placing the rotary valve.

In witness whereof I havehereunto set my hand this 31st day of August 1906.

LEl/VIS B. DOMAN. Witnesses:

C. L. HAMLIN, M. ELLIOTT. 

